2014 NSRA Southeast Street Rod Nationals Top 100

Gary Wolcott | Seffner, Florida | 1951 Ford Victoria
Working four days a week over a four-year period, Gary Wolcott smiles when he says every single panel on his Ford Shoebox has been massaged in some way. The hammered Victoria hardtop gets its low profile from a combination of a 4-inch top chop and a 5-1/2-inch section, shortening the roof by 10 inches, and extending the rear deck. The front fenders were extended 3-1/2 inches and 1953 Merc headlight rings frenched in. The rear quarter-panels were modified to fit the 1956 Olds taillights with 1952 Ford trim. Lots of GM influence has crept in along the way, beginning with the S-10 chassis, Corvette LS-1 V-8, 4L60E trans, Oldsmobile dash, and Pontiac Trans Am seats. Wolcott calls it the Back Yard Job because that’s where he did all the work!

Joe Holt | Clearwater, Florida | 1955 Chevy Series 2, Short Bed
Joe Holt fell in love with this old truck as a kid, riding past it on his bicycle. Years later, it became a surprise high school graduation gift from his father and the first back-to-original restoration occurred in the ’80s. Another performance-oriented upgrade happened 10 years later. Finally in 2009, the dream of a complete rebuild began. A Fatman hub-to-hub chassis that cradles the ZZ502 big-block Chevy, mated to a five-speed Tremec TKO. Foose ShockWave 18-inch wheels and Nitto 555s made it a roller. The interior of the bright red truck is finished in double-stitched black leather with custom-made center console, dash, and a treasure trove of modern electronics. Mark Kraus, the talented craftsman in charge of installing the electronics and the interior, is standing in for Holt.

Chuck Burns | Sanford, Florida| 1932 Ford roadster
Chuck Burns, from Hibernia Auto Restoration, builds hot rods and customs for a living. Customers come first since they pay the bills so Burns has been refining an idea for a special car for more than 30 years. He wanted to create a late ’40s period car and has been collecting pieces for his dream ride over the last three decades. Motive power for this 1932 begins with a 59A Flathead, ported, polished, stroked, and bored, fitted with a Harman & Collins magneto, Cyclone heads, and a prized Burns (!) intake with a pair of ’97 carbs. The motor spins a 1939 toploader with Lincoln Zephyr gears. Inside, the passengers are held securely with military-style seatbelts in the red leather interior. The roadster was finished with a period-correct, ’40s vintage, tan nitrocellulose lacquer paintjob, and the top is a lift off, Carson-style with a 2-inch chop. Burns also won the Florida Roadsters Pick.

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Bruce Paul | Odessa, Florida | 1968 Camaro
The first thing that catches your eye about this 1968 Camaro is the striking House of Kolor Tangelo Pearl paint. When you start digging deeper, however, there are dozens more eye-catching additions. Underhood, the Chevy SBC 355 V-8 was balanced and blueprinted, fitted with a Mutha’ Thumpr hydraulic cam, custom headers, and a distinctive Inglese eight-stack fuel injection setup. Utilizing Detroit Speed rear suspension and Heidts up front, along with a full set of Wilwood disc brakes, the car rolls on a combination of 17- and 20-inch Billet Specialties Bonneville rims circled in Goodyear Eagle rubber. The elegant leather interior features supportive bucket seats along with Classic Instruments on the dash to monitor underhood activity. Paul also received the Classic Instruments Pick.

Dan Duffy | Marietta, Georgia | 1956 Chevrolet 210 post car
Occasionally, you find a car with so many subtleties that it takes a while to discover them all. In the case of Dan Duffy, from Marietta, Georgia, identifying just a few could be difficult. Beginning with the angled section job that took 3 inches from the front down to zero at the rear with a corresponding top chop, again with 1 inch at the front down to zero at the rear, and you already have a unique profile. Power comes from an LS3/4L70E combination fitted into an Art Morrison chassis with the car rolling on 18- and 20-inch Schott Americana wheels and Pirelli rubber. Baer disc brakes on all four corners rein in the LS3’s 480 hp. Slathered in Sunset Orange Paint, the car was a Classic Instruments Pro’s Pick.

Bob deDiego | Tampa, Florida | 1934 Ford Cabriolet
Bob deDiego is a retired maintenance manager for Hurtz Rental Car and has enjoyed interesting cars all his life. He describes this one as his first hot rod, a car that he has been working on for the past seven years. Bought from a museum because the paint was deteriorating, it became the perfect retirement project. It has a Nova rear and a classic transverse leaf spring up front. As part of the process, he did an overhaul of the Chevrolet 402 big-block that was in the car when he bought it. The potent mill breathes through a new four-barrel Holley 750. Fitted with a Turbo 350 automatic, disc/drum brakes, and 17-/18-inch American Racing wheels with Nitto rubber, the freshly painted Black Cherry Cabriolet is a great cruiser, especially with the grandkids riding along in the rumble seat.

Scott Kisner | Merritt Island, Florida | 1955 Chevy Nomad
Transforming a car that is more than half a century old into a high-performance, crisp handling automobile is not for the faint of heart but Scott Kisner infused modern power to classic metal. The Art Morrison chassis/suspension combination was the perfect home for the supercharged LS9 dry-sump crate motor rated at 638 hp. The TCI-6X programmable automatic trans is an upgraded version of the GM 4L80E. Wilwood drilled-and-slotted, four-caliper disc brakes scrub off speed with 12.19-inch versions up front and 10.75-inch units in the rear. The stylish wagon rolls on 17-inch Billet Specialties rims up front and 20-inch versions out back wrapped in Nitto rubber. Scott also received the PPG Best Use of Color Pick.

Gerry Houck | Merritt Island, Florida | one-of-a-kind 1932-36 Ford roadster
The build of this one-of-a-kind roadster began in 2006 with two years of design prep already complete. It was finished in 2008 and went on to successfully compete in major shows. Gerry Houck bought the one-off car at auction. Every part of it is unique and fabricated to resemble Fords between the years of 1932 and 1936. Panels and fenders were lengthened, shortened, or widened, all in an attempt to capture the flavor of a vintage Ford while remaining unique. The motor is a 400hp, 350 V-8 with Triple Demon carbs. The car rolls on a combination of 16- and 18-inch Colorado Custom wheels with Goodyear rubber. The air-ride mechanism and the remote stereo, (iPhone-compatible) are mounted in the trunk. Houck also received the Classic Instruments Pick.

Joe Abrantes | Tarpon Springs, Florida | 1961 Chevy Impala SS bubbletop
Born in Massachusetts and currently living in Florida, Joe Abrantes always loved old-style cars. Although he bought several over the years, retirement meant it was time to finally build one of his own. It took 15 months but now his frame-off 1961 Impala bubbletop sports a supercharged LSA V-8 and 4L85E trans, rolls on 18/20 Budnik wheels with Wilwood discs and Continental rubber, and employs RideTech ShockWaves for adjustable altitude. John Dubois from Mint Restoration made it happen. Abrantes also received the ISCA Pick.

William J. Bader | Ellenton, Florida | 1936 Cord Westchester
Building a vintage classic is all about perseverance. Bill Bader found his first Cord on the Internet, discovering later that much of the car was held together with chicken wire, newspapers, and Bondo. Fortunately, some time later, son John found a second Cord and the blending process began. After a seven-year family effort, the Dupont Yellow classic has been rejuvenated with a fuel-injected 350 Ram Jet and 700-R4 powertrain, Mustang II front and parallel leaf rear suspension, and rolls on Custom Wheel Works 16-inch rims and Diamond Back Classic radials. Bill’s wife, Peggy, did the interior, then outfitted the trunk with a matched set of fitted luggage.

Painless Performance Products Tech Tip:Charging multiple batteries
When charging batteries in parallel, always make sure they are the same type. They need to be all lead acid or dry cell. Since the different types charge differently, damage to one or the other will probably occur.